Leigh Johnson was born June 15, 1943, in Uniontown, PA. His family moved to California in 1945. His father taught English in
middle school, and his mother sold Danish modern furniture in a specialty store.
He has always been interested in old cars; in fact, his first car was a Model A. He was introduced to
Packards when his father purchased a 1932 Packard in 1953. They restored it together with the influential help of thei next door neighbor. Leigh has been restoring automobiles
ever since. He apprenticed with Bill Lauer when he owned "Custom Auto" in Santa Ana, California. It was there he really learned his
craft.
Between 1985 and 1990, he had the rare opportunity to join the staff at the B.S. Cunningham Auto Museum.
He has many fine restorations to his credit, some of which are featured in books dedicated to rare automobiles. Today, he is semi-retired
working on his own cars--all of which are Packards. He has restricted himself to doing interior work and
will take on jobs for other people if the car is interesting.
He has a son, David, by a previous marriage. David, and his wife Karin, have presented Leigh with two beautiful grandchildren: a boy, Max, and a girl, Charlotte.
He is currently married to Mary Lou, and they live together in Idyllwild, California Leigh & Mary Lou.